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Story: Balance of payments

Exports and imports, 1857–2003

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Until the 2000s balance of payments crises in New Zealand were largely synonymous with periods when there was a significant trade imbalance – that is, the country spent more on its imports than it earned in exports. This graph shows the relationship between exports and imports by value and shows those periods of crisis – such as 1920, 1926, 1957/58, 1965/66, 1974–77 and 1984–87.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Statistics New Zealand

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How to cite this page

C. John McDermott and Rishab Sethi, Balance of payments – A brief history, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/23963/exports-and-imports-1857-2003 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by C. John McDermott and Rishab Sethi, published 12 April 2010.